Demon's Heart
by Firegriffin75
Summary: After the death of a family member, Yusuke is forced to live in an orphanage where he becomes friends with a demon. Despite the odds, he is adopted after only a week there and by the last person he would ever expect. How will his new parental feel about t
1. Default Chapter

Alrighty, this is my first YYH fic so please forgive me for any mistakes. Sorry about the spelling. My computer at the moment only has Word Pad, which doesn't have spell check. Apart from that I was typing it while watching Little Women, which is a really good movie. I recomend it. Anyway here's chapter one.

It was a rainy Thursday afternoon and the sky was gray and gloomy. Droplets fell onto the sand on the shore, dappling the stretch of beach, only for the waves to rush up and wipe the spotted design away, leaving fresh sand and pebbles in its place. A crowd of people was gathered there today. They were all dressed in black and a dark pall of sadness lay draped over there shoulders even heavier than the rain. Amongst them was a teenage boy- Yusuke Urameshi. He had slicked his black hair back that morning like he usually did but now it lay in a wet heap around his face. He didn't bother to fix it. His appearence was the least of his worries today.

Yusuke stood alone at the edge of the ocean, the waves lapping over his feet and soaking them through his shoes. A yard or so in front of him, bobbing up and down in the water, was a wooden raft engulfed in flames. The fire crackled and snapped and smoke lingered where he stood. He was glad of the smoke; it gave him an excuse to wipe half shed tears from his eyes. The last thing Yusuke wanted was for everyone at the cremation to see him, the toughest kid in his school who kicked demon ass on a regular basis, crying. Even though he tried not to think about who was burning on that raft, he couldn't look at it any longer and he turned away to see someone he knew approaching.

It was a tall male with firey red hair that extened below his shoulders. He too was dressed, if casually, in black and had the same depressed mein about him as everyone else. In his left hand he held a single red rose.

Yusuke was suprised to see the demon here. He hadn't invited him or Hiei because if someone somehow found out that otherworldly beings were attending, they might freak. But he was glad he came anyway.

"Kurama" he began slowly. For the past few days Yusuke hadn't bothered to put much effort into his actions, but he still meant what he said wholeheartedly. "I wasn't expecting to see you here. Thanks for showing up."

Kurama toyed with the rose in his hand. "I'm not going to stay long, but I thought I should be here. If it weren't for you, I would be dead and my mother would be living her life, if healthily, in sorrow. I know what **my** mother means to me and for you to loose yours must unbearable. Coming here is the least I can do." Bringing the flower to his nose he inhaled deeply and as he exhaled, he threw the rose into the fire before the raft drifted out of reach.

Yusuke stared for a moment into the flames, fresh tears welling up in his eyes, deeply touched by his friend's gesture. "Thanks" he murmered, but Kurama had already left. He hadn't planned on staying long.

Wading further out until he was about shin deep in the water, Yusuke placed his hands on a part of the raft that hadn't been singed by the flames yet and pushed it until it was caught by an outgoing wave and the pull of the ocean took it away from him. He watched the buring raft drift away as it got smaller and smaller and finally disapeared. Despite his efforts, tears ran down his cheeks with the rain. Atsuko had always been a better partier than a parent (dieing in an alcohal related car accident coming home from one of her wild outings had proved that point) but that didn't make her death any easier. He still loved his mother even with all of her flaws.

"Hey."

Yusuke jumped as a hand touched his shoulder. He hadn't seen Kayko come to stand next to him. She had taken her shoes off and the bottom hem of her black dress coiled around her legs in the water. Like him, she had cast her umbrella aside despite the scoldings she recieved from the elder people saying that she would catch a cold.

"Are you okay" she asked unneccessarily. She already knew the answer but she figured that maybe if she get him to talk about it he might feel a little better.

Yusuke pretended not to hear her and didn't respond. he had went back to trying to trying to hold his tears back, a battle he was quickly loosing. When Kayko reached for his hand and squeezed reassuringly, he finally snapped and began sobbing uncontrollably as she wrapped her arms around him. It took Yusuke a moment realize that she was crying too. She had been close to his mother and the cremation was almost as hard for her as it was for him.

Yusuke didn't know how long they were crying but the rain had both him and Kayko thouoghly soaked and their clothes clung to them in the wet. Then a voice from behind him said"Are you done **yet**"

Kayko let go of him and he saw a most hideous sight. Standing on the beach was the ugliest woman he had ever seen. She was huge and the white blouse she wore was too tight for any woman of her size to wear. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a tight bun that probably cut off all connections to her brain and her dinosaur ankles and thunder theighs seemed to come out of nowhere. The rolls of fat under her chin quivered as she spoke in her deep, almost masculine, throaty voice. "Well? Are you done"

Kayko glared at the woman but didn't say anything.

At the sight of the horrifying woman, Yusuke wanted to do one of three things: run and hide, laugh, or start crying again. But he ignored each impulse as she continued, not giving him a chance to respond.

"Good. Come with me, Urameshi. My name is Miss Diazo, as you probably know, as you** should **know, and you'll be coming with me. Now" Grabbing Yusuke's arm, she dragged him from the water and across the beach to a gray stationwagon. She tried to shove him in the back seat as he protested.

"You stupid bitch! I'll beat the crap out of you! Hey! No! Don't close the door! Kayko, help" He was cut off as Miss Diazo slammed the door shut, almost catching his ankle in it.

Yusuke watched forlornly out the window at Kayko as the car lurched into motion. Through the shaded windows, she couldn't see him but she waved anyway, watching as the car dissapeared down the road.

It was a long car ride to the orphanage, and silent and awkward. Here he was, in a vehicle with the ugliest woman he had ever seen and didn't know, going to a place he had hardly heard of, to do who knows what for the rest of his sorry life. Yusuke wondered what he was going to do with himself. The orphanage had all sorts of chores for him to do, no doubt, and he had every intention of giving them a hard time about it. And what about his missions? Koenma would find a way to get them to him hopefully. How he would get to school didn't even cross his mind; he didn't go that often anyway. And when would he see Kayko again? Would he see Kayko again?

After what seemed like forever, the car stopped in front of huge mansion with Roman style columns holding up its second floor. Its white paint was blinding against the gloomy, rainy sky yet even its new and fresh look didn't hide the building's lonely essance. Yusuke knew immediately that he wouldn't like it here as he was lead up the front steps and through the front door.

He found himself in a lobby of sorts and only one word could describe it: old. Exactly opposite from the outside, paint was flaking off of the walls and the floorboards creaked noisily under his feet. The place smelled dank and moldy. Yusuke got the impression that the building was neglected.

Miss Diazo proded him in the back with a jabbing finger towards a staircase in the next room. "Upstairs you go, Urameshi. Your bed is in the boy's dormatories."

"But what about my clothes and stuff"

"We've been to your home and everything you need will be in the dormatory. Settle in quick. Dinner is in an hour and you have kitchen duty afterwards." Miss Diazo laughed to herself and left Yusuke at the bottom of the stairs.

That woman had went into his house! He had kitchen duty on his first night there! _What kind of bull is this? _he thought as he climbed the creaky stairs, hating the woman more and more.

At the top, he followed a little wooden door hanging that read:

BOY'S DORMATORIES RIGHT

and found himself in front of a closed door. He hesitated to open it. From the other side, he could hear happy yelling and laughter. It sounded kinda scary in there and he wondered if he really wanted to go in. Well, his stuff was in there and he planned on changing out of his soaking wet clothes before dinner so he turned the doorknob and walked in.

The little room was in complete chaos. Ten other boys, ages ranging from five to fifteen, were either laughing, or screaming, or yelling, or jumpimg on the beds that looked like they would break any minute. For a moment, no one seemed to notice Yusuke as he stepped into the room but then a little boy with a high pitched girly voice yelled"Hey, look! It's the new boy"

The room fell completely silent and every eye was on Yusuke. He immediately regretted entering the room that was really made for three people instead of the ten -eleven including himself- that it occupied. They kept staring at him like thay had never seen another human being besides themselves in thier lives. Were they expecting a human sacrifice or something before they accepted him into their clan?

"Ummm..." he began"I'm Yusuke. Yusuke Urameshi. I'm new here so, um, which bed is mine? And could you tell me where my stuff is"

A boy about ten years old pointed to a bed near one of the few windows on the opposite side of the room. It had a dark blue dufflebag at its end that Yusuke recongnized as his. "Thanks" he said, trying to sound cheerful.

As he walked across the room, the rest of the boys went back to thier previous activities and the noise level became deafening once again. Yusuke heaved a sigh and sat, back slouched, on his bed. To his dismay, he saw that it had pink and white frills around the edges of the bed skirt. Out of the eight beds that were in the room he got the girly one! At least he didn't have to share a bed like some of the others did.

Despite the rain and the cold, Yusuke opened the window and retrieved a cigarette from his dufflebag. He half sat on the windowsil and lit it up with the lighter from his pocket, not caring if it was allowed or not.

"Hey" said the voice of a boy about Yusuke's age from behind him. "What's up"

Yusuke took a look at him as the boy sat on the end of his bed. He looked normal enough if a little weird- long coarse dark hair tied back in a pony tail at the nape of his neck and glasses that seemed a bit too big for him. But what struck Yusuke was the chill he felt as he approached. A demon? Here? He figured he might as well be polite. This demon boy hadn't tried anything. Yet. "Not much" he replied, not trying to sound suspicious of him. Holding out the box of cigarttes, he asked"Want a smoke"

The boy looked almost relieved as he accepted. He must have been the only other smoker here and didn't do it out of repect for the young children. "My name's Leo by the way" he said, using Yusuke's lighter. "I would say, 'glad to have you here, Yusuke,' but the truth is, this place is living hell."

"I figured as much."

"Mmmm. So you have kitchen duty, I hear. It's a big job and Miss Diazo gives it to every newcomer on their first night." At Yusuke's overwhelmed sigh, Leo laughed and offered"Don't worry about it. I'll give you a hand."

"Thanks, man. I owe you."

"Naw, don't mention it." Leo hesitated before continuing"I wouldn't usually ask you this so soon, but I was wondering. What brings you here? You're not like some of the wierdos we get here."

Yusuke took a deep breath and said"My mother...she..."

"Oh, I see. I'm sorry."

"She was cremated today." Yusuke held back tears.

"You wanna talk about it"

Yusuke shook his head and avoided Leo's gaze. He killed his cigarette butt on the sil, leaving a charred spot, and threw it out the window. He stood up and said"I'd better get changed before dinner." Picking up the dufflebag, he headed into the bathroom and didn't come out until he heard Miss Diazo calling them all down for dinner.

On the bottom floor of the orphanage was the diningroom. The long table was older than everything else, if that was possible. When Yusuke took his seat next to Leo, he thought his chair would collapse under his weight. Spaced across the table that sat the thirty other boys and girls was a skimpy amount of food to feed all of them. Not only that but it looked as though it had been sitting out in the rain all afternoon. He usually wasn't a picky eater but this was just gross, in both taste and smell. But no one else seemed to be complaining so Yusuke kept his mouth shut too.

Dinner was suprisingly quick with little conversation._ Probably because they were tyring to choke down all this garbage_, Yusuke figured. But Leo had whispered to him, telling all about the orphanage and what its rules were (not that too many people followed them). He told him all about the staff that worked there and how mercilessly crewel they were and about the "survival of the fittest" philosophy everyone there lived by. Like Leo said, it was a living hell.

Afterwards, Miss Diazo approached him with a dishtowel over her shoulder. Whipping it at him, she sneered and laughed"Kitchen duty."

Yusuke and Leo went into the kitchen and found a mountain of dishes to wash, all caked in grime and soaked with the sloshy juices from the sorry excuse for meat they had eaten. The stench made them both want to puke but Yusuke said"Alright. Let's get to it. The sooner we get started, the sooner we'll be finished.

The two boys leaned over the double sink and, sleeves rolled up, they tackled the mass of dirty porcelin, one dish at a time. Now that Yusuke was alone with Leo, his demonic aura seemed more oppressing and it was making him uneasy. The boy was powerful, no doubt about that, but he didn't give Yusuke the impression that he was going to attack anytime soon. Leo had so far been friendly and was probably harmless. Ignoring the aura, he tried to make conversation.

"So, Leo, how did you end up here if you don't mind my asking."

Turning on the faucett to rinse a dish, Leo replied"It's a long story, and it's really complicated. I don't think you would understand. All I can tell you is that I've been here almost my whole life and I don't know who my real parents are. Maybe I'll tell you someday."

Yusuke found that a little odd, but replied"Okay"

Yusuke lived his life day by day at the orphanage. Of coarse, that wasn't without a fight. Him and Leo would do everything from skipping their chores and stealing things to see how long it took Miss Diazo to notice to even runing off for a few days to give everybody a scare. The pair had become notorious for what they considered "fun." Actually they had become good friends.

That would all change one day when Miss Diazo caught them hiding in the closet from her. "Urameshi" she screamed. "I'm not even going to ask why you're in there but there's someone waiting to see you downstairs. Aparently it's someone you know. So please! Freshen up and get yourself looking descent. Wouldn't wasnt to make me look bad now would you"

Leo looked to Yusuke urgently. No one besides your family ever came to see you here unless it was important. But he had only been here a little over a week. Who could've found a reason to want to see him? The first thing that entered Yusuke's mind was adoption. But those chances were so slim and no one he knew would even think of adopting him of all people. That would mean thier life becoming miserable. Yet someone was down there who wanted to see him, so, running a hand through his hair to make it look a little better than it did, he went to see the person downstairs.

Well that was it. Please read and review!


	2. A New Guardian

Chapter 2 is up! Thanks to everyone who read ch 1 and reviewed and added me to their favorites list! I love you all! Again, sorry for the lack technology in my computer. Still no spell check! Please try to ignore it. Here's the story.

Yusuke started down the stairs from the boys' dorm but stopped once he saw that Leo wasn't following. "Hey," he said. "Aren't you coming?"

"No, you go," Leo replied. "I wouldn't want to ruin your chances. I wouldn't want to have you live here because I made you look bad. I'll stay up here 'till you come back."

Yusuke wished he would come. He didn't want to admit it, but he was nervous. Someone wanted to see him downstairs and apparently he knew the person. But who? He was wishing it was Kayko, but it would be really weird if the Yukimuras adopted him because that would be like being in love with his sister- Yusuke cast that thought aside as fast as he could. He prayed that it wasn't Kuwabara and his family. Brothers? Them? No, definitely not. They would end up tearing eachother apart before the first week. With those ideas turning his nervousness to pure terror, he descended to the lower floor.

Yusuke stopped at the bottom of the staircase. He could hear the voices of two people speaking. It sounded important so he decided to listen in and see what he could find out.

"But are you sure?" That was Miss Diazo. "You haven't even spoken with the boy. He's a natural terror, I'll have you know. A little child from hell, that's what he is. Everything's gone wrong since he came here. Theft, clogged toilets-"

"Then I guess I'm taking a load off your mind. The paperwork is already done anyway." That voice…… It was a woman's, an elderly one probably. Yusuke's breath caught for a second. Could it be….? No way. But the more he heard that voice, the more convinced he became. It continued, "I'm leaving soon and I'm taking Yusuke with me. I don't care if I have to blow this building apart and I can and will."

"Now, now. I'm sure that won't be necessary."

"I should hope not."

Yusuke was sure of it now, but he didn't know if he liked it or not. As he walked into the next room, he saw Miss Diazo speaking with exactly who he thought he heard. Master Genkai.

"Good, you're finally here," she remarked as he entered. "Took you long enough."

"Nice to see you too Genkai," Yusuke replied cheerfully.

"Go get your stuff. I'm bailing you out, kid. Be quick about it!"

Yusuke bolted back up the stairs to the boys' dorms, excitement welling up inside his chest. Today he'd be out of this damn place and free again! As for Genkai being his new guardian, well, that was a bit unexpected but it could have been worse (he thought of the Kuwabaras).

"Leo! Leo!" he shouted joyfully as he bounced into the dorm. "Guess what? I'm outa this stinking hell!"

Leo became immediately excited too and then asked eagerly, "When?"

"Today! Right now! Isn't it great?"

A sad look came over Leo's face. "Yeah, but………… So soon?"

Right then it occurred to Yusuke that after this, he might never see Leo again. Even though he was a demon, he turned out to be one of his best friends. When Yusuke first arrived at the orphanage, Leo was the only one who bothered to say hi to him let alone be his friend. He would miss him.

"Yeah I guess," Yusuke replied sadly. "The woman who's adopting me is downstairs now. I gotta pack."

"Well is she nice at least? Who is she? Do you think she can handle you?"

"Oh she can handle me alright. I used to be her disciple and she's strict, but there are worse people out there."

Leo nodded his head in agreement and asked, "You were her disciple? What's her name?"

"Genkai. You might have heard of her. She'd kinda well known."

A flash of hatred entered Leo's eyes. "Yes. I've heard the name." His voice was like ice and his demonic aura became firey hot for a second.

"Well I have to get going," Yusuke said quickly, pretending not to notice as he began shoving things into his dufflebag. He considered telling him that he knew he was a demon, but what was the point in that? Might as well keep things as they were and end on a light note. Besides, he didn't want Leo to attack him for any reason; Yusuke didn't think he could best in a fight. He was **really** powerful. But demon or not, he was still his friend and he regretted saying good-bye.

Yusuke had finished packing his belongings and both him and Leo went downstairs. Genkai was still speaking with Miss Diazo. As they got closer, Leo's aura got hotter and hotter and the hairs on the back of Yusuke's neck rose as a low, almost inaudible growl came from his throat. It all seemed to be directed at Genkai. _But why her?_ Yusuke wondered. _Why does he appear to hate her so much?_Then he remembered what Leo had told him. Or more like what he had not told him. His past. Maybe Genkai had something to do with it?

"Oh there you are. You have everything, yes?" Genkai asked, ready to leave. She spared a glance at Leo but quickly looked away. Yusuke knew she could sense his aura too and now that they were closer, it become even hotter and more oppressing. He wondered what had made his friend change this way. This was not the way he wanted to remember Leo.

"Well I guess this it," Leo said. His voice wasn't angry at all. "It was great. We had some good times."

"Yeah," Yusuke replied. "Thanks for everything."

"Naw don't mention it. I'll miss you, man."

"I'll miss you too. But at least with me gone the theft rate will go down considerably, eh?"

Leo laughed and said, "Take care of yourself, Yusuke. Don't get into **too** much trouble. Who knows, maybe we'll see eachother again sometime."

"Maybe." Yusuke started to follow Genkai out the front door. "Bye Leo. Hopefully next time we meet, you'll be outa here too."

"Oh I will. I will be outa here."

Genkai and Yusuke trotted down the front steps to a large blue Hummer parked out in the front. _Looks like Genkai got a new car since the last time I saw her_, Yusuke thought with a hint of amusement. _She probably can't even reach the gas pedal_. "Nice ride," he said, holding in laughter.

"Isn't it?" replied Genkai, climbing into the front seat like it was Mt. Everest. "I've always wanted a Hummer. It's fun to see all the young people's expressions when I speed this puppy doin' ninety on the highway. Ha ha!"

Yusuke gulped. He hoped they weren't taking the highway.

Lucky for him, Genkai kept to the low roads and exceeded the speed limit only once. As she drove, Yusuke said, "Thanks for getting me out of there. But I didn't expect you at all!"

"Is that a bad thing?" she replied. "Koenma came to me a few days ago and asked me to pick you up. I tried to tell him that was getting too old for babysitting and I nearly had a stroke when his intention was for me to actually adopt you!"

"Is that a bad thing?" Yusuke mimicked.

"No, actually, I don't mind at all. I live alone it is a bit lonely sometimes. I have always wanted children, but never had the time."

Yusuke couldn't believe what he was hearing. Genkai wanted children! Wow, this day was just full of suprises.

Genkai went on, "Well anyway, being outside of an orphanage will make your job a lot easier. Koenma has a new mission for you. He'll be dropping by to assign it personally tomorrow. Apparently it's so serious that you'll be out of school for a while to work on it full time. I don't know anything about it though so don't ask me."

_What could be **that** serious?_ thought Yusuke to himself. _It must be really important if Koenma is assigning it personally. He could have just sent Botan_. His train of thought was broken when Genkai spoke again.

"Who was that boy you were with at the orphanage? His demonic aura was overpowering."

"That was Leo. He's a really nice guy, even if he is a demon. " Yusuke began to feel side again as he remembered leaving him behind. "I only knew him for a little over a week but he became one of my best friends. I doubt I'll ever see him again though."

"Oh I wouldn't count on that," Genkai said. "You'll probably see him. Demons that powerful have better things to do than stay in orphanages and take other people's crap. He's there for a reason and I don't think he's up to any good."

"No way! Leo's made his share of trouble with me over there but never do anything seriously bad. You just don't know him."

"Hey, I'm just saying what I think. His aura **was** fired up with bloodlust, even you can't deny that. I just wouldn't trust him."

Yusuke couldn't argue there. But something was bothering him. "Do you know Leo?" he asked.

"No. Why do you ask?"

"It's just that all of his hate and anger seemed to be directed at you. Why?"

"I don't know. But I wouldn't be surprised if we see him again sooner than we think."

When they arrived at Genkai's place, Yusuke chose his room and unpacked his clothes and other belongings. It was a small, square room with a bed in the corner under a window and a dresser on the opposite wall. It had an attached bathroom that had a shower and a stack of fresh towels in the closet. _Home sweet home, I guess_, he thought as he sat down on the bed. To his delight, it did **not **have girly ruffles along the edge of the bedskirt. The comforter was blue and the pillowcases were white; a refreshing change from the dull brown at the orphanage.

Yusuke came out into the livingroom and looked into the connected kitchen. Genkai was hopping up and down, trying to reach a jar of mayo on a low shelf, which was still too high for her. "Need a hand?" he asked laughing.

Genkai grunted in frustration, backed away to let Yusuke through, and crossed her arms angrily. "If only I were two feet taller."

"We can probably get a stepstool at the store," Yusuke said, handing her the jar.

"I do **not** need a stepstool!" Genkai replied indignantly as she took the jar from him and began making sandwiches on the low counter. Lucky for her, it was very low. "I hope you're hungry. Tuna sandwiches are on the menu tonight."

Later on, Yusuke and Genkai sat on the floor in the livingroom playing Scrabble and eating their sandwiches.

"Ha!" Genkai exclaimed. "P-A-T-H-O-L-O-G-I-C-A-L! Add fifty points to my score! Haha!"

"Aw come on! I'm getting killed here!" Yusuke complained, jotting the number 50 down and totaling the score. Genkai was winning, her 300 points to his 40. Now he was wishing he hadn't skipped class so much. Just as he spotted that he could spell the word "cat" the phone rang and he got up to answer it.

"Hello, Genkai's residence," he said picking up the phone. "Oh hey Kayko! What's up? Not much over here. Genkai is slaughtering me at Scrabble." He laughed. "Yeah, I know, I know! You always say that! If I had stayed in class…….. yeah yeah yeah. Oh and speaking of class, I won't be in for a while. I have a full time mission I have to work on." Pause. "I don't know yet. Koenma is dropping by tomorrow. Hey why don't you come too? Then we can talk and stuff." He yelled to Genkai, "Is it alright if Kayko comes tomorrow too?"

"Fine by me."

"Cool. Yeah, I'll see you then. I miss you too. Bye." Yusuke hung up the phone and finished spelling "cat" out on the board. "That'll be a whopping four points onto my score." Genkai only laughed.

Well that was it. It was a lot shorter than the last one, I know. But next chapter, Yusuke gets his mission. So please review and I will update!


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